Arson suspect’s bail hearing adjourned to next week
Defence counsel for Ryanne Joseph Pineda, 35, asks for psychiatric assessment, but judge says defendant appears fit right now
A judge declined a defence request for a psychiatric assessment for a Fredericton man accused of torching his own home, noting the accused appeared Monday to understand the court process.
Ryanne Joseph Pineda, 35, of Sunset Boulevard in the McLeod Hill area, was arrested the night of March 29 and charged the following day with setting fire to a home on Sunset Boulevard with disregard for whether the house was occupied at the time.
He was remanded pending a bail hearing set for Monday, and he appeared by video conference from the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre for that proceeding.
Judge Brian McLean granted a publication ban on any evidence to be presented at the bail hearing.
However, defence lawyer Emily Cochrane asked for the hearing to be adjourned for a week so she could gather additional information.
She also noted there was information in the show-cause brief filed by the Fredericton Police Force for the bail hearing indicating there may be reason for the court to order a five-day psychiatric assessment, to be conducted at the jail, to determine if Pineda is fit to stand trial.
She didn't detail the nature of that information, and it's subject to the afore-mentioned publication ban.
Crown prosecutor Rodney Jordan said his file also notes there might be cause for such an assessment.
But McLean noted a fitness assessment is done to determine if an accused understands the court process and is able to communicate effectively with his counsel as part of his defence.
The judge said Pineda was responsive when spoken to by the court and appeared polite and aware of the proceedings.
“At this point right now, there’s nothing that jumps out at me,” McLean said, declining to order the psychiatric examination.
While he hadn’t seen the police brief that will serve as the Crown evidence for the bail hearing, the judge said, it would pertain to the events of last week, not Pineda’s mental state right now.
However, it was at that point Monday when Pineda piped up and contradicted what Cochrane had asked of the court.
“I want my bail right now,” he said. “I just want to go home.”
Pineda started crying and said others had put him in the situation in which he found himself.
“I didn’t do this,” he said tearfully.
McLean said he was adjourning the bail hearing to April 11 at his lawyer’s request, and he advised the defendant to listen to his counsel.
Given Pineda’s demeanour at the conclusion of Monday’s proceeding, the judge said he’s not closing the door to a psychiatric assessment should further grounds arise.
During his initial court appearance March 30, Pineda claimed a drug-induced state of mind was at the root of the tumultuous events the night before.
“I was in a psychotic episode,” he told the court that day. “I was supposed to go see a psychologist today.”
Multiple police and fire vehicles, as well as an ambulance, all with sirens blaring, reported to a home on Sunset Boulevard shortly after 11 p.m. that night.
The home Pineda is alleged to have torched that night matches the address listed for his residence in the court file.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.